Get Started

This guide is intended for publishers who want to monetize an Android app with
AdMob and aren't using Firebase. If you plan to
include Firebase in your app (or you're considering it), see the AdMob with
Firebase version of
this guide instead.

Integrating the Google Mobile Ads SDK into an app is the first step toward
displaying ads and earning revenue. Once that's done, you can choose an ad
format (such as native or rewarded video) and get a detailed set of steps for
implementing it.

Prerequisites

Import the Mobile Ads SDK

Apps can import the Google Mobile Ads SDK with a Gradle
dependency that points to Google's Maven repository. In order to use that
repository, you need to reference it in the app's project-level build.gradle
file. Open yours and look for an allprojects section:

Example app-level build.gradle (excerpt)

Add the line in bold above, which instructs Gradle to pull in the latest
version of the Mobile Ads SDK. Once that's done, save the file and perform a
Gradle sync.

Initialize MobileAds

Before loading ads, have your app initialize the Mobile Ads SDK by calling
MobileAds.initialize() with your AdMob App
ID. This only needs to be done
once, ideally at app launch. You can find your app's App ID in the AdMob UI.

Here's an example of how to call the initialize() method in an Activity:

Note: If you haven't created an AdMob
account and registered an
app yet, now's a great time to do
so. If you're just looking to experiment with the SDK in a Hello World app,
though, you can use this App ID to initialize the SDK:
ca-app-pub-3940256099942544~3347511713.

Select an ad format

The Mobile Ads SDK is now imported and you're ready to implement an ad.
AdMob offers a number of different ad formats, so
you can choose the one that best fits your app's user experience.

Banner

Banner ads are rectangular image or text ads that occupy a spot within an app's
layout. They stay on screen while users are interacting with the app, and can
refresh automatically after a certain period of time. If you're new to mobile
advertising, they're a great place to start.

Interstitial

Interstitials are full-screen ads that cover the interface of an app until
closed by the user. They're best used at natural pauses in the flow of an app's
execution, such as in between levels of a game or just after completing a task.

Native

Native is a component-based ad format that gives you the freedom to customize
the way assets like headlines and calls to action are presented in their apps.
By choosing fonts, colors, and other details for yourself, you can create
natural, unobtrusive ad presentations that can add to a rich user experience.

Native is currently in a closed beta with a limited group of publishers.